26 



LIGUSTRUM 



L. JAPONICUM, Thunberg. JAPANESE PRIVET. 



An evergreen shrub, rarely more than 4 to 8 ft. high in this country, of 

 bushy habit ; twigs covered when young with minute dark down, becoming 

 quite smooth. Leaves smooth, almost black-green, very glossy, ovate, i^ to 4 

 ins. long, f to' 2 ins. wide ; usually rounded, sometimes tapering at the base, 

 taper-pointed at the apex ; stalk % to \ in. long. Flowers white, borne on 

 terminal pyramidal panicles 4 to 8 ins. high and as much wide. Flower-stalks 

 clothed with minute down. In bloom from July to September. 



Native of N. China, Corea, Japan ; introduced to Europe by Siebold in 

 1845. It is closely allied to L. lucidum, and much confused with it in gardens, 



LlGTTSTRUM JAPONICUM. 



but is a less vigorous shrub, its leaves are darker green, shorter, more rounded 

 at the base, and the nerves beneath are raised, whereas in lucidum they are 

 sunken ; the inflorescence is looser, and the young shoots minutely downy. 

 It is a useful and effective evergreen because of the intensely dark shining 

 foliage, but needs a sheltered spot. 



L. LUCIDUM, Alton. 

 (Bot. Mag., t. 2565.) 



An evergreen shrub of erect -habit, 10 to 18 ft. high, or a small tree; 

 devoid of down in all its parts. Leaves narrowly oval or ovate, from 3 

 to 6 ins. long, i to 2^ ins. wide ; tapering at the base, long-pointed, glossy 



